Bell County’s 31-game district win streak will be on the line Friday on the road against high-flying Wayne County.

Friday’s game has been circled my many high school football fans for many months to see who will get the inside track of grabbing the top seed in one of Class 3A’s toughest districts.

Both teams enter Friday’s game with a lot of momentum.

The defending district champion Bell County Bobcats are 3-2 on the season with wins over Marion County (17-10), Whitley County (21-14) and Knox Central (34-12) while their losses have come against South Pittsburg, Tenn. (35-20) and Middlesboro (28-14), who ended a 17-year drought against the Bobcats.

Wayne County has lived up to its preseason expectations, being only one of seven teams unbeaten in Class 3A.

The Cardinals have dominated their opponents, outscoring them 204-68 during their five wins, which include victories over Monroe County (44-14), South Laurel (36-7), Garrard County (42-15), Williamsburg (40-12) and Southwestern (42-20).

So with that said, lets take a closer look at both teams in what should be a battle come Friday.

 

What will Bell County need to do to win

First off, let’s get this out of the way real quick. Both teams will need to avoid the obvious — limit turnovers and penalties. If both teams can do that, their chances of winning increase greatly.

But for the Bobcats to win, it’s simple to write, but maybe not as easy to do on the field. Bell County must control the clock, and that means the Bobcat running game needs to be at its best against Wayne County.

During Bell County’s 21-7 win last season, the game was a defensive battle with the Bobcats rushing for 125 yards while finishing the game with 162 yards of total offense. Bell County did a good job of slowing down Wayne County’s passing attack, limiting the Cardinals to just 66 yards through the air while Wayne County managed just 72 yards on the ground.

Wayne Mills’ squad is averaging 213 rushing yards per game and is coming off more than 300 yards rushing during last week’s win over Knox Central. The Bobcats have four players they can lean on running the ball with Austin Caldwell leading the way with 381 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Chase Woolum has 279 yards on the ground and leads the team with seven rushing touchdowns while Corey Swanner has 158 yards rushing and one TD and Evan Brock has 153 yards rushing with two touchdowns.

For Bell County to be successful, and win the game, the Bobcats must be able to establish the run. Wayne County is allowing 119 rushing yards per game, so the Cardinal defense is going to be tested early and often.

 

What will Wayne County need to do to win

On defense, the Cardinals must stop the run. If Wayne County can do that, its offensive attack is going to have a lot of opportunities to put up a lot of points. If the Cardinals put Bell County in passing situations, it should favor Shawn Thompson’s team. They’ve already got nine interceptions this season with Alan Brown leading the way with six while returning two for touchdowns.

But when it comes down to it, Wayne County needs to score points, and the Cardinals have done just that this season. They’re averaging 40 points a game and 399 yards of offense per game, and don’t let Wayne County fool you, it can run the ball as well. The Cardinals have passed for 1, 240 passing yards this season, but they’re also averaging 151 yards on the ground.

They are led in rushing by quarterback Tyler Guffey’s 309 yards and nine touchdowns, but Kadameion Branham and Junior Ruiz can do damage, too. Branham has 253 rushing yards and one touchdown while Ruiz has ran for 132 yards and two touchdowns.

But when it comes down to it, Wayne County is dangerous throwing the ball, and Bell County will have to find a way to contain Guffey and his offensive weapons.

Guffey has completed 69-of-116 pass attempts this season for 1,240 yards and 12 touchdowns. He only has three interceptions on the year. His main receiving target is Jason Perkins, who leads the team with 27 receptions and 592 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Logan Gardner (21 receptions, 275 receiving yards and two touchdowns) and Brown (14, 301 and four) are dangerous catching the ball as well.

 

Who will win?

I’m going with Wayne County. The Cardinals get an edge playing at home, and when it comes down to it, I believe they’ve just got too many weapons for Bell County to overcome this season. Look for Thompson’s squad to put an end to Bell County’s 31-game district win streak.

Wayne County 28, Bell County 14

Wayne Co gave up around 250 yards rushing to SW and still beat them 42-20. Giving up that much yardage on the ground will hurt them at some point. I think Wayne gets over the hump and runs the table in that district this season.

Wayne Co gave up around 250 yards rushing to SW and still beat them 42-20. Giving up that much yardage on the ground will hurt them at some point. I think Wayne gets over the hump and runs the table in that district this season.

 

Belfry gave up over 200 yards to the Warriors as well.

 

Two things you have to consider:

1) Southwestern has a couple good quick backs and they run the Read Option pretty well. They re a decent offensive team.

2) When your defense is as bad as Southwestern's and allowing 6 TD's, usually some very quick scores at that, then Southwestern's serviceable offense is going to have several more possessions to gain yards on your defense.

Good Point